The quilting D-Kult

Diane of Trashpo fame has been making trash quilts and I have been following this new direction avidly on her blog: http://dianekeys.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/trashwork-quilt.html 

There is something about Diane's trash quilts that turned on a lightbulb for me and I have been obsessed with my own version ever since!  So, you can imagine how delighted I was to receive an original trash quilt from Diane. I love the palette of this beautiful piece. 

 I think Diane and I can probably agree that once you start seeing things you find them everywhere.  With Diane and her envelope full of goodies I am seeing quilts.

 Of course Diane is a trashpoet first and foremost and 'Ragu Pasta Sauce' is a striking example of her flair. 

Not everyone sees a bit of trash, is inspired, picks it up, stashes it for the right moment and uses it in such an effective way! Diane, everything about this is right on my wavelength.

For the cat lovers among you, you might be interested to know that Diane's 'cat count is up to six'! their names have a trashpo feel: mystery and pop tart.
Thank you Diane.  I am just off to reclaim some plastic and fuse a little something for you.

Jon sends me a golden ticket

I will be one of the lucky golden ticket holders sending stuff into Jon's zine. Thank you Jon.  Jon's zine will be photocopied black and white in any language.  It's entitled: Mail Art Show or Tell Thing ... Zine.

Yes, zines still exist!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/nyregion/brooklyn-zine-fest-at-public-assembly-in-williamsburg.html?pagewanted=all

Wonderful as only home: Guyver/Warren collab going out

Tomorrow I will post Simon this print-out of his pages 1-23 and some collage images inspired by his words. I haven't asked Simon and I have used my 'automatic collage' aproach, so these are quick responses, guided mostly by colour and composition while I juggle his words and a few images I made and looked for opportunities to interject - hand-coloured images of trains. These are collaged memories.
To view the whole collab as a PDF visit: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3g5q7Qjx55QaXZrbFBoMnpHekU/edit?usp=sharing

SIMON WARREN - memories 1-23

Simon Warren has been sending me a stream of memories for more than a month now.  I have collected them all together and posted them in one PDF at google docs.  To read the complete works to date visit: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3g5q7Qjx55Qdl9xTEhLdURnQnM/edit?usp=sharing

Sue Marsdon sends a change in the weather

Gorgeous photo by Sue brought sun and warmth to the uncharacteristically miserable English spring.

Tofu sends me art to hide in a book

Tofu made this piece of art this April and placed it into a glassine envelope, sealed it in an envelope and  this piece was randomly sent to me. He has asked me to put it into a book and to 'forget' about it. I will send tofu something back.  This is fun!

Brain Cell 853

Not sure if Ryosuke Cohen sends to exhibitions, I haven't sent anything for some time and I NEED to mail E scans of the Brain Cells I have.  
Meanwhile, I can feel my rubber stamp tools trembing in expectation.

Bernd Reichert's Vispo book 1: pages

I have my VISPO book 1 chapters in a biscuit tin next to my other mail art.  This morning as I walked into the studio I has an impulse to look through the chapters (again).  I do this periodically.  Participating in that exchange was something special and the work I received means different things at different times.  The fact that it's a unit distinguishes it from other mail art for me. It was also where I dipped my toe in to the world of VISPO.
Today I re-discovered Bernd Reichert's chapter, and  I realised I had never reproduced it for others to see! Each of Bernd's chapters was bespoke.  I'm not sure if each chapter looked at a different artist as I didn't see other examples, except for the cover of Matthew Stolte's but mine is an homage to Mike Kelley, I think.  (On page three Bernd writes, ' homage to Mike Kelly', but I suspect it is MIKE KELLEY).
This chapter arrived in March 2012, beautiful and treasured. 

Collage Graffiti and Jay Block

Following on from Marie's blog yesterday, and art that speaks another langauge, there is something about J Block's work that says graffiti to me.  This is one of those unscientific things.  I am not trying to categorise it, it's just that in my mind I feel a link. This piece by J arrived with some pieces of the collage furling at the edges, like an abandoned billboard. Thanks J.  I love it.

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At the start of the new year I was in Edinburgh and was transfixed by wall after wall of graffiti.  Graffiti is one of those things I've grown into, which is probably backwards...

Marie's work has a very different feel, but similarly makes me think about the inherent art in graffiti. 

Marie Wintzer Wild Cha

Not long ago I saw something of Marie's that gave me a dose of wanderlust.  Leather in look, it conjured up a Louis Vuitton bag, or a passport case, something dripping with iconic style. 

I've just revisted Marie's site 
http://mariesmailbox.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/some-mail-out.html#comment-form 
and I remembered it all correctly, and though similar, mine in bluer, blacker, and almost has a Velvet Underground song as its title ... 

When I read the words aloud, that word 'sheep' takes me to Australia,  The language, interspersed with french is Marie's characteristic cut up poetry. She plays with words and space, with the chromatics coming forward and receding around the bursts of red.

This piece has a wonderful texture. I can't place it, but it is wonderfully authentic. I love Marie's chop and the paint residue suggests hours in a studio.

As ever, Marie writes in a mysterious language that holds me in its suspense and intrigue. 

Dave the Rave sends minimalist mail art from Paris

It took a while to determine who sent this 'dabble' into minimalist mail art.  But eventually we concluded that this is the work of none other than Dave-the-Rave... We know he has been to Paris.  

 We are delighted to have received what we imagine is Dave-the-Rave's first piece of mail art - a brilliant opening gambit!  While never attempting to guide anyone in mailart whatsoever, in this instance I have taken the liberty of offering some suggestions towards making the activity an even more exciting, wholistic and compulsive practice. (see below). 

Thanks DTR.  If you want a mail art kit to take with you in the future, just say. And why not send something in for Memories are made of this.  There will be a new pop-up show in Suffolk in June!

Vizma's memories make a compelling read

Reading Vizma's nearly square, nearly 4 inch book is  a bit like looking through someone else's box of photos and love letters at a car boot sale.  You believe everything and can imagine more. From the envelope that implores me to remember, remember, remember, the casual stance of the hero and the hat that suggests leaving as well as a time long gone made me want to tear the envelope open.  The upturned wine bottle and the hand next to the stamp with the laden down car, the birds and the words, 'road trip' make me hanker for the open road. I'm already primed, longing and a tiny bit nostalgic before I even begin.  the book is a delicious read that tells me a story and makes me care about the characters, and suspend all disbelief.

Meral Ağar sends photo (thank you) reply

  I sent Meral a postcard for her Istanbul mail art project and in reply she sent me a photo from her own camera. 

I went to Istanbul many years ago and perhaps time has romanticised it. I loved it at the time.  I remember that. I kept all the tickets and memorabilia, intending to use it creatively. Life, travel, family - the moment - meant that I carried around the box of stuff without even looking into it.  The mail art call took me into the box.  Meral's piece creates a mood that is certainly at odds with my memory but that doesn't diminish its impact! Thank you Meral.

 This is what I sent to Istanbul...

Visit Meral's project:
http://istanbulmailartproject.blogspot.co.uk